458 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
moist seed bed necessary. for the growth of alfalfa furnishes ideal 
conditions for the rapid development of weeds. Several cultiva- 
tions are necessary to hold even those of the first season in 
check. A 2-row cultivator provided with narrow shovels is the 
most practicable machine for this work. Fenders, or, better, a 
box sled, should be provided to avoid the danger of covering up 
the young alfalfa plants, and care should be taken to ridge up the 
rows as little as possible, as this will interfere with mowing op- 
erations. After the stand has become firmly established ridging 
can be readily corrected by cross-harrowiig. Mr. Bartholomew 
has devised a harrow of adjustable width which is very useful 
both in controlling weeds and keeping up the necessary surface 
mulch. 
The stand may be much thicker during the first season than in 
subsequent seasons. Some of the plants will be destroyed by cul- 
tivation, and the less drought resistant and less hardy plants 
will be killed by the dryness of the summer and the cold of the first 
winter. Unless plants are so thick as to crowd one another no 
thinning should be done by cross-harrowing while the plants are 
still small. 
Experiments in eastern Colorado, eastern Washington and Cali- 
fornia indicate that under very dry conditions the plants should 
not be clipped the first season if they are to make their greatest 
individual development. On the other hand, in the Willamette 
Valley of Oregon it has been found necessary to clip during the 
first season. In any event, clipping, if undertaken at all, should 
be with the sickle bar of the mower set high, and probably should 
not be resorted to unless it is found impossible to hold the 
weeds in check by the ordinary cultivations. As there is still 
some uncertainty regarding clipping the first season, it is sug- 
gested that farrhers leave a portion of the field unclipped to dem- 
onstrate the best practice under various conditions. Should the 
plants begin to set seed, clipping will be advisable. In cases 
where it is practicable, hand weeding or hoeing may be used to 
supplement horse cultivation. 
Treatment of the Stand After the First Season—The treatment 
of the stand during subsequent seasons will differ very little from 
that of the first season. The plants should average not more 
than four to the foot. In the spring or early summer of the 
second season, if the natural methods of thinning out have not 
been severe enough, it will be necessary to harrow crosswise 
lightly to accomplish a further reduction in thickness of stand. 
It may also be worth while to go over the rows with a hoe as 
soon as the plants commence to set seed, cutting out undesirable 
individuals. This operation will involve considerable time and 
